Aitor Karanka, when Middlesbrough manager, during the Sky Bet Championship match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Middlesbrough at the American Express Community Stadium, Brighton and Hove, England on 19 December 2015. Photo by Phil Duncan.

Aitor Karanka, when Middlesbrough manager, during the Sky Bet Championship match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Middlesbrough at the American Express Community Stadium, Brighton and Hove, England on 19 December 2015. Photo by Phil Duncan.

Nottingham Forest are still keen on signing Lee Tomlin on a permanent deal and he is free to leave Cardiff City this summer, as per a report by Bristol Live.

Tomlin has fallen down the pecking order at the newly-promoted Premier League side and they are looking to offload him over the coming weeks. He spent the latter part of last season on loan at Nottingham Forest in the Championship and they are not ruling out signing him on a permanent basis just yet.

The 29-year-old attacking midfielder only joined Cardiff last summer from rivals Bristol City but was allowed to leave them on loan in January. Tomlin spent five months at the City Ground and impressed in his 15 appearances in the Red shirt, scoring 4 goals.

Forest have been busy so far in this transfer window. Their manager, Aitor Karanka, has delved into the transfer market to put his own stamp on his newly inherited side. The Spaniard has lured the likes of Michael Dawson, Costel Pantilimon, Jack Robinson, Joao Carvalho, Gil Dias, Diogo Goncalves, Lewis Grabban and Hillal Soudani to Nottingham.

They are not finished there and have also been linked with West Ham United right-back Sam Byram along with Newcastle United midfielder Jack Colback, who like Tomlin spent half of the last campaign on loan with them.

Lee Tomlin could still end up back at Nottingham Forest this summer and he would certainly give them another option going forward. This is a story that their fans should keep an eye on over the coming week or so.